Invitation to the media and the general public - Edmonton parents are invited
to attend the first educational conference on the diagnosis and treatment of
feeding difficulties in young children

EDMONTON, April 28 /CNW Telbec/ - On May 3rd, an educational conference will be held in Edmonton and will reveal all there is to know about picky eating toddlers. Feeding difficulties are very common in young children and they have the potential to compromise nutrition, growth and cognitive development. Two child nutrition specialists will present an expert categorization of feeding difficulties and appropriate consequent treatments.

Mothers, fathers, caregivers, healthcare providers, nutritionists and members of the media are invited to attend this conference sponsored by Abbott, a global health care company. Attendees will learn about new methods to help identify and treat feeding difficulties.

Speakers at the May 3rd conference are: Dr. Glenn Berall, Chief of Paediatrics and Medical Program Director at North York General Hospital in Toronto, Medical Director of the Feeding Disorders Clinic at Bloorview Kids Rehab and Active Staff in the Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition at SickKids Hospital in Toronto; and Ms Sherene Sieben, Registered Dietician, Alberta Children's Hospital in Calgary.

    
    Date:     Monday, May 3rd

    Time:     1 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

    Place:    Fantasyland Hotel
              Conference Room No.5
              17700-87 Avenue
              Edmonton
              www.fantasylandhotel.com

    * Refreshments will be served.
    (xx)Reservation not required.
    (xxx)Conference free of charge.
    

Feeding difficulties in young children

Young children who are labelled "picky eaters" suffer from a serious condition with long-term consequences. To this day, parents and healthcare providers have overlooked the problem, while turning the dinner table into a battlefield on a daily basis.

    
    - Some studies have shown that as many as 50 to 60 percent of parents of
      physically normal children have reported some kind of feeding
      difficulty.
    - Feeding difficulties in young children are often overlooked and
      therefore underdiagnosed.
    - Experts attribute feeding difficulties to a wide range of causes,
      including physiological factors such as appetite and medical causes
      such as dysphagia.
    - Other common contributing factors may include behavioural or
      psychological issues, such as a struggle for autonomy, and the
      emotional interaction between mother and child.
    - Emotional consequences are also a concern: studies have shown that
      overly anxious caregivers can adopt coercive feeding methods that can
      negatively affect the interactions between the child and the caregiver.
    

For further information: Media contact for information and interviews: Lamia Charlebois, Enigma communications, Cell.: [phone], [phone], [email protected]